Sewing Self-Confidence After Pregnancy: Rebecca of Sew Pomona

Through pregnancy and post-partum our bodies go through massive changes in size and shape, unfamiliar redistributions of weight, and are constantly changing. These changes can be disorienting and can cause even the most self-confident of women to feel alien in her body.

Today on the Maternity Sewing blog we have Rebecca from Sew Pomona to talk about how she used sewing to find self-confidence in her body after pregnancy.

When I was younger I always joked around that what I really wanted to be was a 50’s housewife. The always elegant mother who kept a spotless, well decorated home, dressed beautifully and cared for her family with ease. Totally unrealistic – but cooking, crafting and babies (and even sometimes cleaning now) are some of my favorite things. All that said, becoming a mother was not an easy life transition.

What I missed most after having children was expressing myself creatively. My favorite forms of art were printmaking (mainly etching and lithography) and oil painting which both involve lots of toxic chemicals. As a newly crunchy mom that was just not feasible. Trying to find a new outlet to express myself led to crafting and then sewing.

I had done a bit of historical costuming, knitting and hand embroidery before kids but had never really used a sewing machine. Pinterest and DIY Craft blogs came to the rescue! I made some simple hats, baby slings and car seat covers and from there the world opened up. I became so excited with my newly learned skills and wanted to learn to make everything! I threw myself into craft.

After my second child’s birth I got obsessed with sewing. I finally had a little girl to dress! I quickly learned how to make baby clothes. Because I breastfed for so long (8 years) nursing friendly clothing was a necessity too. It was what started me sewing clothing for myself. I couldn’t find anything I would wear normally that was breastfeeding friendly. Nursing clothing was somehow even uglier than maternity wear.

I remember vividly the first dress I made – a black and white leaf print linen/cotton with a bodice I modified for breastfeeding. It had a cross wrap tie that went around the bust and a fuller skirt that covered my belly. I was so proud of myself. It gave me the confidence I needed to keep trying more complicated patterns. That same dress got refashioned later, after my sewing improved, into a pinafore for Amelie.

Being able to sew and alter clothing is such a blessing when your body is in a state of transition. I gained 45 lbs with my first pregnancy and it took forever to get back to my pre-pregnancy size. I remember how shocked I was after giving birth that I still looked pregnant. I somehow imagined I would look like myself again as soon as the baby was born.

18 months later I was pregnant again and gaining it all back, and much more quickly this time around. I lost the baby weight more quickly, mainly because I was tandem nursing, but still felt awkward in my postpartum body.All these rapid body changes can make wearing clothing just uncomfortable. Even now that I’m back to my pre-baby weight my body shape has changed quite a bit. Age and gravity affect us all and learning to embrace those changes takes time.

I’ve always had a healthy body image and been quite confident in my sense of self, but I still had a hard time feeling confident with my changing size. Loving the body you have now is so important. Seeing myself through my children’s eyes always helps me find balance- they think I’m beautiful no matter what I look like!

Being able to alter and make my own post maternity clothing was so vital. The best part about sewing for yourself is that you can adjust everything based off your personal measurements. No matter what size you are having, clothes fit properly makes all the difference. You can design your pieces to have wider seam allowances to accommodate size changes. Creativity can lead to wonderful ideas to make your clothing both functional and beautiful. I wish I had started earlier. Knowing that my clothes fit ME is amazing!

Customer Service

My Account

Newsletter Signup

Your Items

+ A free pattern for new subscribers
+ Get inspired and informed about sewing for maternity, nursing, and postpartum
+ Get behind the scenes peeks, and even occasional coupons!

* indicates required

Email Address *

First Name

Maternity Sewing uses cookies to allow our website to function properly, and to help us improve your website experience. We always keep your personal information safe and do not share it with anyone, as stated in our Privacy Policy.

We know that we are lucky. There was no doubt for either of us that we would have ready access to maternal healthcare while we were pregnant. Unfortunately, that isn’t true for so many women in our world. We pledge to donate 5% of our profits to the non-profit Every Mother Counts. They work with agencies around the world to improve maternal medical access.

Give thanks for your access to healthcare while pregnant by making a donation. We will pass the full amount to Every Mother Counts to help bring maternal healthcare to women around the world.

You can use the suggested roundup amount that rounds your purchase up to an even $10 amount or enter whatever donation amount you would like.

Size

Each pattern designer uses her own pattern block and size chart. Each pattern’s size chart is included in the product listing so you can ensure that the pattern will fit your body. Most designers suggest that you pick a size based on your pre-pregnancy measurements (especially for “maternity specific” patterns) and account for an average pregnancy weight gain in their finished patterns. If you are on track to gain significantly more or significantly less than average then you may want to select a larger or smaller size accordingly. “Maternity friendly” patterns may not account for a pregnancy weight gain and so you will probably get the best fit from going up 1-2 sizes.

To make it easier to browse for patterns that include your size, we have annotated all patterns as to how they best fit on the above size chart. So if you wear a size 18 on the chart above then patterns marked as including size 18 will have a size with similar measurements included in the pattern. Again, each designer uses her own size chart so it may not include the exact measurements. Note that the size chart uses high bust NOT full bust for size selection. This accounts for the fact that different patterns are designed with different cup sizes.

Cup Size

Cup size is typically measured as the difference between your high bust and your full bust. A = 1″ difference, B = 2″, C = 3″, D = 4″, E = 5″, F+ = 6″ or more. It is likely to be similar to your bra size. Because each person’s body has its own unique shape, for perfect fit you may still need to adjust a pattern even if it is the “correct” cup size to start.
During pregnancy, your breasts are likely to grow and you will probably find yourself 1 to 3 cup sizes larger than before pregnancy, depending on how much weight you gain and how your own unique body changes with weight gain and hormones.

Pattern Suitability

Early/Post Maternity: In the first trimester your belly may not look any different but you may feel bloated and find fitted garments, particularly waistbands, to be uncomfortable. You may find that your bust is already noticeably larger. In your second trimester your belly will really start to grow. In your fourth trimester (post-partum) you will still have a round belly but are likely to want to camouflage instead of show off your curvy belly. Garments that cling to the belly or garments with excessive gathering at the belly are not well suited for this reason. Maternity Sewing stocks a variety of patterns that may not have been designed as maternity patterns but are well suited for wear during the first, second, and fourth trimesters.Late Maternity: Maybe in your second and likely in your third trimester your belly is large enough that you can no longer wear non-maternity garments. Garments in this category have specific shaping meant to accommodate the largest pregnant bellies. These garments may not fit or flatter on a body without a large pregnant belly.Designed for Nursing means that the garment is specifically designed for nursing. This may mean nursing clips on the front of straps, extra moveable panels across the bust, or strategic garment openings. Note that you may still find nursing to be easy in a variety of garments that are not specifically designed to be nursing garments but only garments with specific nursing modifications are included in this category.

Difficulty

We have asked designers to rank the difficulty of their patterns as suited for beginner, intermediate, or advanced sewists.

Height

While most patterns are drafted for an average height, some are specifically drafted for short/petite women or tall women. Additionally, some patterns include multiple pattern pieces drafted separately for multiple heights. Note that average patterns may include shorten/lengthen lines on the pattern to simplify adjusting the pattern for different heights however these will only appear under “average” search terms.

Waistline

In garments with a waistline (especially skirts and pants), the waist of the garment can tuck under the pregnant belly or it can cover the belly. You may find that under-belly garments are easier to wear during early pregnancy and postpartum however many women prefer over-belly waistlines during mid- and late-pregnancy as a snug waistband can be uncomfortable at the under-belly.

Printing Options

Since all patterns on MaternitySewing are digital at this point in time, you must print your own patterns after purchase. Printing can either be done on your home printer (either 8.5″x11″ or A4) or on a large format printer at a copy shop (wide format or A0). Many patterns include both options.